The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-06-17

Sally had eaten the ham and eggs
which Roxy had now learned to fry in
| SO appetizing manner, and drank the
coffee which was clear as any amber.
she set forth on her daily task of root
and herb hunting. and Roxy carried
| the basket of clothes out to the shore
of the brook. where a mighty old chest
nut-tree spread its dome Of shade.
washed and wrung and rinsed them
until it was mercy that there were
any two threads left together. Then
she hung them out on the lines. which
she had stretched from tree to tree.
skewering each article safely in its
place with wooden pins. SO that no
| frOlicsOme wind should lure it away.
"And now" said Roxy. rs with head
slightly on one side she viewed the re-
suit of her prowess, Il think I've
earned little rest.'' And drawing n
Franklin Square" novel from her
pocket, Roxy sat down under the big
tree. with her sun-bonnet thrown back.
her loose curls tangled over her fore
head, and her round white arms still
bare to the shoulder, to read, and be-
fore she knew it she was asleep.
When she awakened she was no
longer alone. Between her and the sun
shine there was-cOuld she believe her
eyes?-yea, verify. there was young
man hurriedly working at port
able easel. which was set up on level
spot on the grass, with all the com
posture and apiomb of a young man who
felt himself to be in the right place in
creations diagram. She looked at him
with solemn, slcep-shadowed eyes; he
looked back at her exactly as if she was
a part of the landscape, and worked
steadily on in silence.
care You an artist?'' said she. care
you painting the old chestnut-tree?
Oh. YOU must be the gentleman that
Docia Honeywell told me about" And
then she suddenly remembered the
tangled fringe of curls, the round, UNI
covered arms. and jumped up in 4
panic Of very becoming confusion.
Il am Mark Jeffery." said the artist.
eomposedly. Eyes. am boarding at
Squire Honeywell's house. And yon?"
II am Roxy Stephens, said the girl,
hurridly pulling down her calico
sleeves. IF you will just step up to
the house will give jar of wild plums
that 1 promised to Docia; that's" with
an abrupt consciousness of her temer-
ity.) "if you don't mind carrying it."
And this was the manner of their
first acquaintance.
Roxy was very sorry when Mr.. Jefferys
returned to the city. 1t seemed as if his
absence left a yawning hiatus in her
life. which had not previously been
eventful or rich in incident. But she
did not know how more than sorry
Mark Jefferys was to part from her.
"'Full many a fiOweris born to blush
unseen" he quoted to himself, after
the hackneyed style of the young man
in general when the little winged god
has him ut a disadvantage. ''But she
shall not blush unseen If my pictures
in this years exhibition bring their
price. She shall be my wife-always
suppOsing that she considers me worthy
of the treasure-trOve of her love. l
will wear her like flower on my heart.
l think-yes, I think she likes me lit
tie now. am quite sure that If had
the chance could make her like me a
little more"
And so now and then he venturcd to
write to her, lest by any chance she
might forget that such q person OK
listed.
Now in real life things will some-
times happen as strangely rs they do
in novels. Every one knows this. And
it came to pass that in the mid-April
time, when skies above and viOlets be-
low are blue with blueness that no
description can equal, Docia Honey
well came up to New York to buy her.
self Il silk dress, and asked Roxanna
Stephens to accompany her.
Il never like to trust entirely to my
own taste. said DOcia; land You have
such excellent ideas of color. Roxy"
When the dress was duly settled
upOn-One of those delicious olives
which. like the hair of the poets hero
inc. was
Brown in the shadow, and gold in the sun
there was yet good hour and half
to spare before the train went.
.Oh. do let us go to the Academy Of
Design said Roxy; ut can't be far.
And think it would rest my eyes to
look ut some pictures"
1t was a fine. sunshiny, breezy after
noon, and all the world was out. Roxy
came slowly up the broad marble steps.
looking around at the giant palms, and
the caoutchouc leaves. and the monster
camelia-trees. whose dark green foliage
sho as if it had been vanished. Be-
yond glowcd the pictures, outlined in
gold. full of vivid lights and deep,
mysterious shadows. A little crowd
had collected before one particular cam
vas. and following the usual impulse of
human nature, Docia and Roxy left the
other pictures-pOssibly possessed of
equal merit--unsurveyed. and joined
the fluttering, perfumed knot Of gaz-
era
1.-THE picture of the season." she
heard some one saying in the soft, dis
tinct tones that denote your society
oracle; LA Jolie Blanchisseuse.'
Would you believe that that little
square Of canvas has been sold for
thousand dollars? It's charmingly
painted thing-oh, of course-but, after